COP 29: Ghana Urges Global Cooperation to Enhance Climate Resilience in Africa.

At a COP29 side event hosted by the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET), Ghana emphasized its commitment to strengthening early warning systems for climate-related hazards across Africa. The event, held on November 12, 2024, at the AUC pavilion in Baku, Azerbaijan, marked the launch of the implementation and resource mobilization plan of the African Integrated Strategy on Meteorology, a crucial step towards enhancing meteorological services across the continent.

Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalization, who also serves as the 2nd Vice Chair of AMCOMET, delivered a compelling address on the urgent need for enhanced support for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in Africa. She stressed the importance of improving weather, water, and climate-related early warning systems to protect lives and livelihoods across the continent. The event was graced by the presence of several key figures, including Prof. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), H.E. Josefa Sacko, African Union Commissioner, and Hon. Mike Elton Mposha, Minister of Green Economy and Environment of Zambia and AMCOMET 1st Vice Chair.

In her speech, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful outlined the significant strides Ghana has made in building its meteorological capacity as part of its broader climate resilience efforts. These initiatives, she explained, not only enhances Ghana’s National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) but also serves as a model for other African nations. Key initiatives implemented by the Ghanaian government include:

• Expansion of Workforce: The government has supported the recruitment of 250 new personnel for GMet, with 30% of these roles filled by women, contributing to gender inclusivity in the sector.
• Enhanced Observation Network: Ghana has invested in 26 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), calibration equipment, a message switching system, and 15 vehicles to improve the operational efficiency of GMet and its delivery of weather and climate services.
• Legislative Support: The Ghana Meteorological Agency Act, 2019, was amended to secure funding for the Agency from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL). This legislative support enhances GMet’s ability to safeguard lives and property. In addition, the Ghana Hydrological Authority Act, 2022, restructured the Hydrological Services Department into an autonomous body, boosting its capacity to manage water-related risks.
• Early Warning for All (EW4All): GMet, in collaboration with other state agencies, launched the EW4All initiative in October 2024. Following discussions at COP28 with UNDRR and WMO, the initiative aims to strengthen early warning systems across Ghana. The draft road map for the program is currently being finalized.
• Strategic Digital Transformation: As part of the Ghana Digital Accelerated Project (GDAP), the government invested $5.5 million in GMet to enhance the sector's digital infrastructure. This includes the provision of various AWSs, desktops, laptops, tablets, workstations, and vehicles to improve data collection, monitoring, and response to environmental challenges.

In addition to these national efforts, Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, through the Food System and Resilient Project (FSRP), procured 20 synoptic AWS with funding from the World Bank. This investment supports improved climate data collection for better climate service delivery across the country. GMet’s climate services play a crucial role in disaster risk management, as the data collected is used by climate authorities, stakeholders, and the public to make informed decisions. Furthermore, the operationalization of the VOLTALARM Early Warning System, funded by the Adaptation Fund, has supported the generation of flood and drought bulletins to aid decision-making.

The WMO has also supported GMet with a Content Management System (CMS) integrated with a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), which ensures the standardization and effective dissemination of early warning messages across various media channels.

In her closing remarks, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful called for global cooperation to support the widespread deployment of CAP, recognizing its critical role in saving lives and mitigating climate-related risks. She expressed pride in Ghana’s successful launch of its Early Warning for All initiative, which aligns with the UN Secretary-General’s call to build climate-resilient nations. The Minister stressed the importance of scaling up such initiatives across Africa to ensure the safety and resilience of communities continent-wide.

The event concluded with the launch of the African Integrated Strategy on Meteorology (2021-2030), with Minister Owusu-Ekuful, Hon. Mposha, and AUC Commissioner H.E. Sacko spearheading efforts to mobilize resources and foster collaboration for strengthening meteorological services across Africa.